Container machine



Nov. 30, 1937. v P. M. ,GILFILLAN 2,100,739

CONTAINER MACHINE Filed March 20, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FQILZ M Gt fLZZG/TZ, Cwmrdl. "M

Nov. 30, 1937. P. M. GILFILLAN 2,100,739

CONTAINER MACHINE File d March 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Paul/ Z GLZfZZZQTZ/ 1229 M *M Nov. 30, 1937.

P GILFILLAN CONTAINER MACHINE Filed March 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 P. M. GILFILLAN 2,100,739

CONTAINER MACHINE Nov. 30, 1937.

Filed March'20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 30, 1937. P. M. GILFILLAN 2,100,739

CONTAINER MACHINE Filed March 20, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HHUHI ll m Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,100,139 I coN'rAnma momma Paul M. Gilflllan, Chicago, m, asslg nor to ShellmarProducts Company, Mount Vellum-Ohio, acorporation of Delaware Application March 20, 1936, Serial No. 69,801

8 Claims. (Cl. 93-51.1)

provision oi a machine which will apply a series 1 of 'spacedalines of thermoplastic adhesive to 9.

Web of material and then form from such a web as acontinuous operation, open ended containers adapted to receive goods to be packaged.

- A further object is to provide a machine and 229 method for forming open ended containers about the hollow mandrel, the containers having continuous front, rear and bottom walls and side sections secured together in overlapped relation and sealed bya line of thermoplastic adhesive.

35 These and other objects will be evident upon a consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a side view, partly diagrammatic, of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of an extension of the machine shown in Fig. 1, this extension being adapt- 35 ed for the filling of the containers constructed by the machine;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1 and showing the details of construction of the forming mechanism for the con- 40 tainer;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the formers and sealing unit;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the unit shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. '6 is a perspective view showing an initial 45 stage in. the formation of the container around the hollow mandrel;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a second operation in the formation of the container about the mandrel;

50 Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the third stage in the formation of the container about the hollow mandrel;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a container blank about to be engaged by the hollow mandrel;

55 Fig. 10 shows the blank with front, bottom and rear walls folded about the hollow mandrel; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the com? pletion of the operation disclosed in Fig. '1, with the thermoplastic adhesive line apparent;

Fig. 121s a view showing the operation of Fig. 8 6

completed;

Fig. 13 shows the finished container with the hollow mandrel removed; and

- Fig. 14 is a top view showing the driving mechanism for the machine. .10

It has been customary heretofore'tp wrap cigarette packages and the like in materials such as transparent cellulose sheeting having thin coatings of wax thereon for moisture proofing purposes by projecting the end of the package against 15 the center of a. blank of the material and folding the blank about the packagewith its edges in overlapped relation, the continuous coatings of wax on'both sides of the blank being melted under heat and pressurewhere the materials are overlapped to complete the closure. Such containers are not satisfactory as substitutes for bags in which the commodity to be packaged is, directly loaded into the container. Particularly is this true where the material to be packaged is tobe protected from an increase or decrease in moisture or from sifting.

As shown in Fig. 1 the container of the present invention is formed from a roll ll) of transparent cellulose sheeting such as regenerated cellulose or cellulose'aceta'te. A web I I is taken from the'roll and passed over an idler roller l2, both the roll and the idler being supported on the frame l3 in a well known manner. Adjacent the roller i2 is mounted an adhesive pot 14 adapted to maintain in solution a thermoplastic adhesive. Preferably, the thermoplastic adhesive is maintained in liquid condition by being melted. A quick drying solvent may be employed to assist in keeping the adhesive liquid before application. An electric heating coil or othersuitable means may be employed for treating the adhesive pot. The pot l4 carries two adhesive wheels l5, and is rigidly mounted on shaft l6 extending in a rotatable manner between adjacent sides of the frame structure I3. Shaft l6 also carries an arm I'I having on its opposite end a roller I! which engages a cam wheel l9.

As shown in the drawings the cam I9 is of the split type in which by regulation of the clamping bolt 20 the arc of the raised portion of the cam can be changed as desired. When the roller i8 is riding upon the raised portion of the cam IS the thermoplastic adhesive-applying wheels l5 are out of engagement with the web ll. As the cam wheel rotates the roller I8 passes on to the portion. of the cani having a smaller diameter, and

Thesejlines of adhesive are applied substantially as shown at 2| and 22 in Fig. 9. That is, the lines of adhesive are applied adjacent but spaced from the edges of the web. The wheel for applying adhesive line 22 along the opposite edge of the web from-line 2| is the same as and'is spaced from the wheel shown in Fig. 1, both wheels being rotatably mounted in the pot l4.

After the web passes about the roller [2 and re-' ceives its marginal lines of thermoplastic adhesive, it passes downwardly beneath an idler 23 and then travels horizontally beneath idlers 24 and 25. 'From idler 25 the web ll passes upwardly and over the top of an idler 26. Thereafter the web passes about another idler 21 and then into draw rolls 23 of a cutting unit. A

thermoplastic adhesive is employed which will become substantially set up before it reaches the draw rolls 23. As the web passes beneath rollers 23, 26, and 25, there is no contact with the freshly applied lines of adhesive, and it is preferred that rollers 26 and 27 which contact the web on the same side as the adhesive lines 2i and 22 be of such a width as to engage the central portion only of the web. That is, the rollers 26 and 27 are sufficiently short that their ends do not reach outwardly as far as the adhesive lines 2i and 22, thereby giving the adhesive further hardenii 1' or setting time prior to contact with the structure of the machine. If desired, draw rolls 2B likewise may be of a similar width.

After passing through draw rolls 23 the web is directed downwardly between plates 29 and 30 of the cutting unit. These plates direct the .web adjacent the fixed cutting knife 3| which cooperates with a rotatable cutting roll 32 carry. ing knife 33. The knife 33 severs the web into a series of blanks of the shape shown-in Fig. 9. Below the cutting unit the end of the web hangs loosely prior to being out into blanks and the distance the web hangs down prior to the cutting operation depends upon the size of the container to be formed.

Adjacent the end of the machine a platform 36 is provided and upon this platform is mounted a. hopper 35 carrying a stack of hollow openended mandrels 35, these mandrels being substantially of the shape shown in Fig. 9. A delivery unit is provided adjacent the hopper 35 for moving the mandrels 3B therefrom one at a time. This delivery unit consists of two chains 3! having rods 32 extending therebetween,-the

delivered from the hopper at spaced intervals.

The mandrels are driven by the pins 33 at a speed faster than thespeed of the webi I, and the pins are so positioned on thechains as to area-rec engage with the end of the web in the manner shown in Fig. 9 prior to the cutting operation. That is, the forward end .of the mandrel is pushed against the central portion of the web which hangs down below the cutting knife and this frictional engagement prevents the blank from that the web is firmly engaged thereabout. The

knife 33 passes in contact with stationary knife 3| and severs a container blank from the end of the web, the cutting operation being adjacent the ends of glue lines 2! and 22. To insure that the end of. the webwill pass downwardly in position for engagement with the mandrels, lower plates 43 and it are provided below the cutting knife 3!.

The rods 38, drive the mandrels with the container blank folded thereabout in the manner shown in Fig. 10 to a point adjacent a second conveyor system including a central chain having a series of spaced dogs 66 for engaging the following end of the mandrels through an opening in platform 36 after the mandrels have been progressed as far as possible by pins 88. The mandrels pass between the platform 34 and a plate 4'! after the engagement ofthe mandrel with thecontainer blank, the plate 'd'i having a central slot through which extends a series of rubber rollers :38. These rollers are in frictional engagement with the container blank so' as to maintain the latter tightly wrapped about the mandrel.

the mandrel and act to fold the extensions of thebottom sections upwardly adjacent the sides of the mandrel a distance equal to more than half the thickness of the mandrels.

The mandrels engage the blanks so that the adhesive lines 2! and 22 are on the outside of the blank and extending along the extensions of the front wall and the bottom section, with a slight additional distance being provided to insure a sift-proof final seal. As shown in Fig. 10 the glue lines 2| and 22 extend across this end extension of the bottom and the former folds these sections with the thermoplastic adhesive line on the outside of the folded-over portion.

In so operating,'the former comes in contact with the line of thermoplastic adhesive, but as the latter is substantially set up there is little tendency toward gumming'of the former.

After the initial formers 49 have folded the extensions of thebottom member inwardly adjacent the sides of the hollow mandrel, the extensions of the front wall of the blank along the top side of the mandrel pass betweenthe formers 43 and a f second set offormers 50. Formers 49 taper downwardly as do formers 50, thereby producinga channel which progressively folds the front wall extensions downwardly adjacent the sides of the hollow mandrel, as shown in Fig. 7. In this position the front wall extensions 5| overlap the extensions 52 of the bottom, and the adhesive lines face outwardly.

i The lines of thermoplastic adhesive on extensions 5I appear on the outside thereof as these extensions are folded over by'theformers 50, so that the line of adhesive is adjacent the formers 50. To reduce any dragging tendency by the lines of thermoplastic adhesive, the formers 50 are provided with inner plates 53 which extend downwardly to a point just above the lines of adhesive, thereby maintaining the adhesive in spaced relation with respect to the formers 50.

To provide for adjustment, the former units are supported on frames 54 and 55 and the latter are made adjustable with respect to the former by means of a hand-operated adjustment screw 56 extending therebetween. The frames 54 and 55 may be moved relative toeach other along the track 51 to adjust the position between the formers. Additionally, the former 50 which is mounted on frame 55has a pivotal connection 58 and normally is held in inward position by spring 59.'

This mechanism provides for yielding action which reduces the tendency of the blank to tear or jam.

The opposite end of formers 50 taper upwardly and these tapered portions are positioned adjacent similar tapered portions of a third set of formers 60. The coaction of these tapered portions results in the rear wall extensions SI of the blank being folded upwardly in overlapped relation with respect to front wall extensions 5I in the manner shown in Fig. 8, thereby completing thefolding of the blank about the hollow mandrel. To insure a tight fold of the blank about the mandrel as the latter is progressed through the folding units, there is provided an upper plate 62 fitting over the top of the mandrel and a lower frame section 63 along which the mandrel slides. The frame section 53 is of the same height as platform 34 and has a central slot through which the chain 45 and the dogs 46 travel to drive the mandrels.

Adjacent the end of formers 60 are provided complementary heat and pressure applying units which lncludesets of forward electrically heated rollers 54 and 55 rotatably mounted on swing arms 65. The latter arepivotally mounted to the frame units 61. Springs 58 connected between the formers and swing armsIiIi bias the latter toward inward position. The rollers 84 and 65 of each of the sets of these heating units are spaced apart as shown in Fig. 5 to contact thelower andv upper parts of the transverse line of adhesive along the sections 52. A second arm 59 is attached to each of the arms 55 and the ends of arms 59 carry idler rollers I0 which extend inwardly a short distance further than the rollers 84 and 65. As the mandrels 35 are carried past the rollers 84 and 65 the latter apply-heat and pressure to the adhesive line along sections 52 and seal the same. After the seals are effected the forward end of the mandrel strikes the rollers I0, as shown-in Fig.5; and the latter are caused to move outwardly, thereby lifting the heated rollers 64 and 55 out of contact with the material of the container.

on each of the plates are mounted additional heated rollers 'II, these rollers being positioned to apply heat and pressure along the central portion of the sides of the mandrel which-are,

missed by the rollers 64 and 65. That is, the roll-- ers II seal the folded-over sections 5| and 8| by applying heat and pressure along the line of ther moplastic adhesive therebetween. Rollers II engage the mandrel through openings 12 in the third set of formers 60. Springs I3 engage arms 14 which carry the rollers II on one end thereof and bias the latter toward inward position. The opposite end of the arms I4 are pivotally mounted to supports 15, so that the springs 13 may provide the pressure necessary for sealing purposes;

The rollers 64, 65, and II have been shown somewhat diagrammatically, it being understood that these rollers are heated to a temperature As the mandrels are carried past the heating 'units the formation of the containers is completed and the hollow mandrels having the containers formed thereabout pass on tothe conveyor belts 16 which are mounted as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 14:. The conveyor belts 15 pass over a driven pulley wheel mounted on a shaft 11 and the idler wheels 18 and19, the wheel I9 being on a lower level whereby to provide an incline down which the mandrels pass in the mannershown in Fig. 2. As the mandrels reach the bottom of the incline they are received by a horizontally-extending platform 80 and are moved into erect position by the action of an arm 8| rigidly mounted on a shaft 82. The shaft 82 also carries an arm 83 having a cam roller 84 on its other end, the latter engaging a cam 85 which is driven in synchronous relation with respect to the conveyor chain 45. The cam 85 has a raised portion 86 which moves the arm 83 outwardly when itengages the roller 84, thereby causing the arm M to move the mandrels into erect position. I

The mandrels are erected adjac'ent the spout of a conventional carton-filling device 81. The device may include'a. hopper filled with the material ing filled in the manner described, the mandrels are moved into engagement with two complementaryvertically disposed conveyor belts 89 which carry the mandrels to a place of removal. There the mandrels are slipped out of the containers, and the commodity settles down into the containe'r to form the package indicated at 90. Thereafter the mandrels are returned to the hopper 35 and a suitable enclosure is provided for the container 90.

It will be noted that the mandrels are of greater length than the containers, this permitting the loading of the commodity close to or above the tops of the containers when the mandrels are in place. When the mandrels are removed the commodity settles down to its normal level within the container.

' sprocket 95. Sprocket carries a chain 96 which drives sprocket 91 carried on shaft 98. Shaft 08 has a gear 99 which drives an idler gear I00 meshing with gear IN on shaft I02. Shaft I02 carries sprockets 39 which drive the chains 31. second sprocket I03 on shaft I02 drives a chain I04 and the latter drives sprocket I05 mounted on shaft I06 of the cutting roll 32.

Shaft l86has a gear ll" meshing with gear idler J08. Gear I08 drivesa gear M9 mounted on shaft- Hll of one of the drive rolls 28. The frictional V engagement of the two' drive rolls causes the web H to be drawn downwardly therethrough.

In many cases it will be desirable to positively drive the other feed roll 28 by means of a gear ill on the shaft of the other feed roll meshing with gear H0.

Shaft 98 carries a sprocket I I2 which drives the chain 45, the latter also passing about sprocket H8- and a lowersprocket H4. Sprocket H8 is mounted on and drives shaft 11. carries a second sprocket Hi5 bearing chain 8 leading to the sprocket ill on shaft H8. Shaft ll8 carries the split cam l8 and thereby actuates the intermittently operated adhesive wheels l5.

Shaft 11 also constitutes the drive for the conveyor belts 16, the belts passing over sprockets H9 thereon.

In operation of the device the draw rolls 28 maintain a traveling web- II to which isapplied spaced marginal lines of a quick-setting thermoplastic adhesive. The web has a sufiiciently long path of travel to provide time for cooling or evaporation of solventswhereby 'the spaced lines of thermoplastic adhesive lose their tackiness. The lines of adhesive are appliedto one side only. of the web and this side is protected from contact withthe rollers until it has set up.

As the web passes through the cuttingunit below the draw rolls 28 it presents a curtain which obstructs the path of travel of the mandrels 86 between the rollers 42. The mandrels are intermittently pushed through rollers 42 and. the three sets of former elements to fold the container blank in .the manner shown in Figs. 6 to 13. The mandrel determines thesize of the container and the blank is sufficiently wider than the mandrel to provide bottom, front and rear wall extensions on each side of the mandrel, the extensions being of a width greater than onehalf the thickness of the mandrel plus the width half the width of the mandrel. When the front wall extensions 5l 'then' are folded over against the mandrel and on top of the extensions 52, a continuous adhesive line is presented between .extensions' 52 and: thefolded-over portions of extensions 5|. Likewise, the adhesive lines along extensions El and 52 form in folded-over condition a continuous line for contact with the folded-over extensions 8|. As will be seen in Fig. 11, it is preferred that the adhesive lines 2| and 22' extend below thetop edge of the' blank a-distance slightly greater than the length of,

the front wall plus the width of the bottom sec- 7 tion, this length providing an overlapped adhesive line between sections 52' and sections I. When all of the side extensions are folded over the container is in the condition shown inFlg. 12 with the, adhesive lines forming a continuous line of contact therebetween. As shown, this line .of contact is of substantially T-shape, the cross portion of the T being spaced upwardly from the bottom of the container. The continuous line of contact provided by the folding method and adhesive lines 2] and 22 insures the formation of a sift-proof bag which has a strong and'unobstructed. bottom portion. v

A particular advantage of the container is that it is quite economical to manufacture and may be employed by the manufacturer of the commodity This shaft to be packaged. It is customary at the present time to employ bags for packaging various commodi'ties and the bags are manufactured by a converter and shipped to the user in large quan tities. The bags are in flattened condition and their use necessitates an opening operation. Also, the flattened bags have creases which seriously weaken the bag structure when composed oftransparent cellulose sheeting. By employing the present invention, the user of containers can manufacture them in any desired quantity as needed, the container-making operation being a part of the filling operation, since the machine delivers an open container having a mandrel through which the container may be filled without requiring a separate operation.

In 'most instances it will be desirable to em-- ploy printed transparent cellulose sheeting, and where the printed material is employed the operation of the mechanism for applying the lines of thermoplastic adhesive and for cutting the web into blanks will be synchronized with the printed design of the web.

The thermoplastic adhesive employed may vary in its formula. It should be of such a nature as to set up rapidly after application and'should be sufliciently flexible after the sealing operation as to provide a non-brittle union.

Gum vmastic combined with methyl. acetone forms a basis for a satisfactory thermoplastic adhesive. Another adhesive is' as follows:

W.-W.' rosin -grams 60 Abalyn do 32 Rezinol, No. 2- do 20.25 Diamyl phthalate oz. (vol.) 1 Ethyl cellulose grams 3.70

Ii'he adhesive is sumciently hardto set immediateiyafter application, :jbut has the property 1 of maintaining flexibility subsequent to the sealing operation; I

The folding operation may be varied by ini-- mandrel, it is desirable in many cases where a duplex bag is needed, to return the mandrels with the containers formed thereon back to the hopper 85, whereupon the mandrels again are pushed through the machine and a second/container is formed about the first container in the .manner described. The inner container is filled through the hollow mandrel and the mandrel then is removed from the containers, the frictional engagement of the two containers being sumcient to insure their being held together to produce a structure which is quite strong.

In preparing aweb ,of material to 'be formed into containers having printed matter on the .front and rear walls, the web initially is printed with the design which is to appear on the front wall in upright position andvthe design which is to appear on the rear wall is printed in upsidedown position. The designs for the front and rear faces of the container are printed by diiIerent parts of the printing unit or cylinder, even though the designs are to appear the same after 75 formation of the container. The printed web, then, consists of a series of reversely positioned designs. The lines of thermoplastic adhesive 2| and 22 are applied along the marginal edges of the web adjacent the designs positioned in one direction. The web is severed so as to form container blanks having oppositely positioned designs thereon, as shown in Fig. 9. The blank is folded about the mandrel in the manner described, and when the side sections are sealed both of the printed designs are in upright-position.

Where it is desired to provide a lip or top extension on the container, the mandrel may be projected against the blank in an off-center manner. so that the wall to which no adhesive is applied is longer than the wall to which the adhesive is applied. In the finished container the former wall will extend upwardly beyond the wall to which the glue lines initially were applied. The upwardly folded flap may be utilized for the purpose of gaining ready access to the interior of the bag or for closure purposes.

It will be recognized that the invention as describedherein for purposes of illustration and description may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention and all such changes and modifications are intended to be included in the appended claims.

'I claim:

means for applying limited lines of a quick-setting thermoplastic adhesive along the edges of a web of container material, means for severing container blanks from said web, means'for'folding said blanks about a mandrel to form continuous front, bottom and rear walls, means spaced from said adhesive'applying means sumciently to permit said lines of adhesive to set up for folding the edges of said walls in overlapped relation against the sides of said mandrel to form side walls having contacting lines of thermoplastic adhesive of a substantially T-shape, means for momentarily applying heat and pressure to the cross portions of said lines of adhesive, and means for applying heat and pressure along the remainder of said adhesive lines.-'

2. The method of producing containers of the type described, which comprises printing a web of container material with a series of alternating reversely-positioned designs, applying marginal lines of a thermoplastic adhesive along the blank adjacent one set of the designs; severing theweb in container units, each having oppositely positioned designs, folding the container blank abouta mandrel after said lines of thermoplastic adhesive have set up to form continuous front, bottom and rear walls with said reversely positioned designs respectively appearing on the front and rear walls in upright position, folding extensions on said walls over with said glue lines forming contacts therebetween, and sealing said container by the application of heat and pressure along said lines of adhesive.

. 3. The method of producing containers of the type described, which comprises advancing a web of container material, applying spaced marginal lines of a thermoplastic adhesive to opposite edges of'said web, setting said lines of adhesive during progress of said web, cutting the web transversely adjacent the one end of said lines of adhesive to form a blank, folding said blank about a mandrel-to form continuous front, bot-.

. tom and rear walls each having extensions, fold- 'ing said extensions against the sides of said mandrel with said adhesive lines forming contacts 1. A container-forming machine, comprising of substantially T-shape between said extensions. and applying heat and pressure to said exten-i sion's to form a seal with said thermoplastic adhesive.

4. The method of producing containers of the type described, which comprises unwinding a web from a roll of transparent cellulose sheeting having spaced designs printed thereon, im-- parting continuous movement to said web, applying interrupted marginal lines of a quicksetting thermoplastic adhesive to opposite edges of said web on the outside thereof in predetermined position with respect to said printed de.-'

signs, setting said adhesive into substantially non-tacky condition, thereafter severing the web into container blanks adjacent the termination of said lines of adhesive, folding said blanks about mandrels with said lines of adhesive on the 'outside thereof to form continuous front, bottom and heat and pressure to the folded extensions to,

effect a bond between said extensions and said thermoplastic adhesive.

5. The method of producing containers of the' type described, which comprises applying interrupted lines of a-quick-setting thermoplastic adhesive adjacent opposite edges of the outside of a web of container material, said lines of adhesive being of substantially the same length and in transverse alignment, cutting said web adjacent one end of said lines of adhesive to form a container blank, folding said blank to form continuous front and rear walls and bottom, said adhesive lines being on the'outside of the folded blank and extending along said bottom and'one of said walls, folding the edges of said bottom and said walls into overlapped relation with said adhesive lines formingcontacts of substantially T-shape between said overlapped edges, and applying heat and pressure along said adhesive lines.

6. The method of producing containers of the type described, which comprises applying interrupted lines of a thermoplastic adhesive to the edges of the outside of'a container blank, partially folding said blank to form continuous front and rear walls and a bottom with said lines of adhesive on the outside and extending along the bottom and one of said walls, folding the edges of said bottom and said sides after said lines of adhesive have set up into overlapped rethe edges of the outside of said web, means for cutting" said web adjacent the ends of said lines of adhesive to form a blank, means for progressing a mandrel in advance of said draw rolls and for folding said blank about said mandrel to form continuous front and rear walls and a bottom with said adhesive lines on the outside and extending along said bottom and one of said walls, formers in the path of travel of said mandrel for contacting the edges of said bottom and walls including said adhesive lines and for told- -between, said former? ing said edges in overlapped relation against'the sides 01' said mandrel with said adhesive lines forming substantiall continuous contacts therespaced from said meansfor applying said lines of thermoplastic width-than said blank and for partially folding said blank thereabout to form continuous front and :rear walls and a bottom with said lines of adhesive being on the outside of said blank with respect to said mandrel and extending along said bottom and one or said-walls, formers in the path of travel 01' said mandrel contacting the edges or said bottom and walls including said glue lines.

for folding said edges in overlapped relation against the sides of said mandrel with said glue lines forming contacts o! substantially T-shape between said overlapped edges, said formers being positioned after said adhesiwwplying means sufliciently to permit said lines of adhesive to set up prior to contact therewith, and means for applying heat and pressure to said overlapped i5 7 edges.

PAUL M. GILEIILAN. 

